Lea Hogg

As seen on tv this week, my recipe for a delicious carrot vegan cake:

This cake contains no animal derived products (no eggs, no added fats, processed sugar, no milk).

Everyone I tried it on loved it and it is ideal to cut into squares and add to children’s lunch boxes as a quick pick-me-up snack during the day. It is also a good replacement to cereal bars.

The consistency is dense but not heavy and the texture is very pleasing. Like most of my cakes, you do not require a mixer or food processor and the secret is not to overmix, just use a large metal spoon and fold in rather than mix. You will need:

1 cup grated carrot
1 cup golden raisins
1 cup water
1 cup non-dairy yoghurt or one extra cup water
1 teaspoon cinnamon powder
1 teaspoon allspice
1 cup coconut
1 teaspoon powdered cloves ground
3/4 cup agave
pinch of salt
1 tablespoon of Apple Organic Vinegar
3 cups self raising flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate
1 cup coconut milk

12 tablespoons aquafaba

Heat the oven to 160C.

In a saucepan mix the water, grated carrots, spices and the raisins. Bring the water to boil then reduce the heat and let it simmer for 8 – 10 minutes. Add the agave and salt and stir for about three minutes. Remove from heat and let the mixture cool completely.

Place the aqua faba in an electric mixer and beat it until it forms stiff peaks.

In a large bowl sieve the flour and baking powder and bicarbonate. Stir and add the coconut and other dry ingredients. Add the coconut milk, non dairy yoghurt or water, cider vinegar to the raisin and carrot mixture. Stir well. Fold in the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients using a metal spoon. Do not overmix.  Then fold in the stiff aqua faba.  Pour the cake batter in a greased bake tin of 23 cm and bake for half an hour until the cake is golden. (If you wish scatter a fruit, seed and nut mixture on the surface before baking but this is optional).

Glaze the surface with a teaspoon of warm agave by using a brush. Allow to cool before removing from the cake tin.